Activists of the right-wing organisation laid siege to Habibganj police in the heart of the Madhya Pradesh capital from around 11pm till 1am and walked out triumphantly with their leader, Kamlesh Thakur.

Bajrang Dal activists raise slogans after their leader, Kamlesh Thakur, walks out of Habibganj police station in Bhopal around 1 am on Friday.(HT Photo)

Bajrang Dal activists in Bhopal allegedly forced police late Friday night to let off their leader who was taken in for questioning for allegedly abusing police personnel in an inebriated state.

Activists of the right-wing organisation laid siege to Habibganj police in the heart of the Madhya Pradesh capital from around 11pm till 1am and walked out triumphantly with their leader, Kamlesh Thakur.

Siddharth Bahuguna, superintendent of police (Bhopal South) said, “Thakur misbehaved with police officials in a drunken state. He was taken to the police station to register his statement. Keeping basic human rights in mind, we allowed him to go. When our personnel later told us he had abused them and also created ruckus, we registered a case against him.”

Police booked Thakur on charges of assaulting public servants and preventing them from discharging their duty, and verbally abusing them.

Bajrang Dal leader Kamlesh Thakur.
(HT Photo)

Police said Thakur at a liquor shop in 10 Number Market late in the evening when a sub-inspector and a few constables were on patrol in the area. Thakur was creating a ruckus in an inebriated state and when the official on patrol tried to stop him, he abused them and had a scuffle with them.

The Bajrang Dal, however, accused the police of lying. Bajrang Dal state convener Devi Singh Sondhiya told HT on Saturday, “Kamlesh Thakur is our active worker. Police targeted him maliciously because he raised voice against corruption.”

Sondhiya added, “On Friday night, a sub-inspector and few constables were allegedly asking for money from some people at the liquor shop when Thakur opposed them. Police detained him. Thakur asked them to explain what his fault was, but police didn’t say anything. If he was in an intoxicated state, police should have conducted his medical examination.”

Sondhiya said police registered the FIR to save their officials. “We will not be silent on this issue. We will take this issue to the higher-ups in the government,” he added.